Comcast Eyes Complement to 'Six Strikes' Copyright Alert System

Confirms it's exploring a real-time version that points suspected pirates to legal sources of content

By By Jeff Baumgartner, Multichannel News

Comcast confirmed a report that it has begun to work on a new, faster copyright alert system that would direct suspected pirates to legal sources of content and complement the MSO's current "six strikes" copyright alert policy.

Variety reported of the new initiative on Monday, noting that the MSO has started preliminary talks with film and TV studios about a new system that would deliver pop-up messages that point broadband customers to legitimate options if it was suspected that they were downloading content illegally.

A Comcast spokesman said engineers and the MSO and NBCU are looking into it, but acknowledged that they are "very early" into the process and no trials are even underway yet. "Copyright is important to Comcast not only as an ISP, but as a content owner," he said.